8/9/2019 Superman flies again
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FRIDAY
23 June2006
COVERSTORY
2
BY MICHAEL CHEANG
THIS year, a superhero in blue tights, red cape,and red
underwear (worn on the outside)eturns. Yes, the greatest superhero
of all time
makes his silver screen comeback in SupermanReturns, and fans
are rejoicing all over theworld.
This new incarnation of the Man of Steel is
set to be the most well-received Supermanmovie since the first
ever release starringChristopher Reeve in 1978. Why?
BecauseSuperman Returns is directed by none otherhan Bryan Singer,
the man with the superhero
Midas touch.Thats right, the Bryan Singer, who directed
he first twoX-Men films (based on Marvelsmutant superhero
franchise) and managed toaccomplish the impossible task of
makingboth casual moviegoers AND fervent mutantfan boys and girls
happy at the same time. It isa testament to how well-crafted those
twomovies were that the recentX-Men: The LastStand(directed by
last-minute replacementBrett Ratner) caused outrage throughout
themutant-loving community and is arguably theworst one in the
series.
Well,X-Mens lost is Supermans gain, asSinger turned his
attention to crafting his ownvision of his personal favourite
superhero. Infact, after several doomed efforts to get theproject
going (including one starring NicolasCage of all people as
Superman), it was onlywhen Singer expressed his interest in
thesuperhero that the film finally got made.
DC Comics president Peter Levitz said during
the films international media junket in Los
Angeles, Superman Returns had been in theproduction process for
a long time.
The whole thing sort of started out ener-getically on its own
last summer. Bryan hadjust doneX-Men, and thought it would be
coolto do Superman, so he came to us and pitchedhis idea, said
Levitz. His excitement (for thecharacter) was contagious, and this
movie waseventually made faster than any otherSuperman movie
ever!
As Levitz stressed, the company always fears
for the worst when someone does a movieabout a character as
popular as Superman.
Many of the other scripts before Bryanshad some things in them
that could have puthim (Superman) in jeopardy. Fortunately, whathe
(Singer) wanted to do was to stay true tothe essence of Superman,
and tread a balancebetween what people know and also try not tobe
too familiar as well, added Levitz.
As it is, Singers movie has a bit of the old,
and the new. As it opens, Superman (played byBrandon Routh in
his feature film debut)returns to Earth after a five-year absence
tofind that crime has risen in the city ofMetropolis and beyond.
Worse, Lois Lane (KateBosworth), star reporter for the Daily
Planetand the love of his life, has moved on with herlife she is
now engaged to the editorsnephew and even has a young son to
look
after.In addition to that, Supermans nemesis Lex
Luthor (Kevin Spacey) has been released fromprison and is now
trying to destroy the worldby using the superheros own Kryptonian
tech-nology.
Yup, our blue-eyed flying hero has his handsfull this time
around, both as Superman and asthe mild-mannered Clark Kent (if you
hadntguessed, Lois still hasnt noticed Clark is backas well).
With some awesome action-sequencesinvolving crashing jet planes,
sinking ships andfalling buildings, a suitably diabolical villain
inSpaceys portrayal of Luthor, and a darn goodperformance by
arguably the best (and only)Superman since Christopher Reeve
SupermanReturns is set to be the movie to beat this year.
Now, where did I put my red briefs...?
Superman will return to cinemas nationwideon June 29. R.AGE will
be holding a specialscreening for our readers on July 1, 10.30am
atGSC 1 Utama, Petaling Jaya. All you need to dois cut out the
coupon on the next page, readand follow the instructions to a
T!
Hesback!Hes
back!
Brandon Routh has some alone
time with Kate Bosworth.
TODAY IN HISTORY
1888: Frederick Douglass is the first African-American
nominat-ed for US president. Needless to say, he didnt win the
elections.
1972: Watergate Scandal US President Richard M. Nixon andWhite
House chief of staff H. R. Haldeman are taped talkingabout using
the CIA to obstruct the FBIs investigation of theWatergate
break-ins.
1991: Sonic the Hedgehog, one of the most popular video
gamecharacters in history, makes his debut in his self-titled
video
game.
8/9/2019 Superman flies again
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FRIDAY
23 June2006
COVERSTORY
3
Bryan Singer had a lot to say to NIKICHEONG about Superman
Returns when
the latter caught up with him in LosAngeles recently.
How big was the pressure working on Superman?Pressure?
Terrible.
What bothered you the most?Just the physical exertion... you
start to notice the physical stress on yoursleep, on your physique,
on your hip and neck. Walking the stages, andshooting on tanks and
on green screens, youve got green all around youfor months at a
time.
We did stuff with water too, so then its green plus the chlorine
andyoure trying to make all these decisions all the time The mental
strainaccompanied with all of that takes a weird physical toll and
you start tostress out.
Now that Superman is shaping up (at the time), how do you feel?I
feel good about it. Its a different film than anything Ive made
before.Its a funnier, a more romantic film, so Im happy about that.
But I dontknow Im glad its done, the shooting.
Youve talked about being able to pull parallels between
charactersfrom your previous shows with yourself. Do you see any
parallels withSuperman?Oh yeah, absolutely, very much so. Superman
is adopted, Im adopted.
(And) as an only child, there is a part of you that feels that
theressomething I dont know, in the case of Superman, he gets to
learnwho he was, his history and gets to face it.
In my case, I dont really desire to do that but theres a part of
youthat feels that youre from someplace mysterious, someplace
elseand theres something about that in the character that
alwaysappealed to me, ever since I was a kid.
And also the fantasy of inner strength, Clark Kent, the fantasy
ofalways wishing you could fly and do these things, youd be
inde-structible. I got picked on a lot as a kid and I see Clark
Kent as verymuch the victim.
In the George Reeves (version), he just never got credit for
solvingthe mysteries, Lois Lane was always getting credit and
ignoringhim. And I was always feeling that way in high school, the
girlswere always ignoring me and I was very much a nerd. And
herewas a character that was okay with that because he knew
insidehe had God-like power.
Do you have a cameo appearance in Superman Returns? (Brianhad
previously appeared briefly in other movies he directedincluding
X-Men 2 and the Oscar-winning The Usual Suspects)Superman? No, I
dont think Im in Superman. Im not a good actor. I had acameo on my
TV show, House. I played myself in the beginning and I wasnot good.
Im trying to act with the actors and I forget my lines when
Imacting. I do them then I feel stupid about them so I cut it
out.
Themanbehindthelens
Terms & Conditions:
Tickets are released on a first-come,first-served basis
Each coupon entitles a personto two tickets.
Only one coupon per person.
Date: June 30, 2006Place: GSC 1 Utama Box OfficeTime: 6pm
onwards
Catch a special screening ofthis much-awaited movie.Simply cut
this coupon outand redeem two (2) ticketsto a special screening
ofSUPERMAN RETURNSonJuly 1 at GSC 1 Utama (NewWing). Redemption
details
are as follows:
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S U P E RM ANN
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BryanSingergivingdirectionstothetoweringBrandonRouth,whoplaysSuperman.
